This week in Congress: Combatant commanders and more budget deadlines

Marine Gen. Thomas Waldhauser arrives before testifying at a hearing before the House Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill on March 6, 2018. He'll return this week for more budget hearings. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

The budget agreement worked out by lawmakers in February extended federal spending until March 23, but this time with the framework for a larger plan to fully fund government agencies until the end of the fiscal year (and through fiscal 2019 as well).

Now, in between a host of hearings on the budget for next year, lawmakers will be working out the details for the current one as well. That includes inserting provisions favored by defense lawmakers to give the Pentagon more flexibility to spend the new funding, given that the current fiscal year only has six months left.

Top officials from each of the five armed services and the Department of Veterans Affairs will be on Capitol Hill throughout the week to discuss those issues, with at least 18 military and veterans budget hearings scheduled over three days.

Monday, March 12

House Veterans’ Affairs — 9 a.m. — Puerto Rico Capitol BuildingPuerto Rico VA healthcare Committee members will host a field hearing with local officials to discuss the available VA health care options in Puerto Rico and challenges looking ahead.

Tuesday, March 13

Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — Hart 216CENTCOM and AFRICOM Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, head of U.S. Africa Command, and Gen. Joseph Votel, head of U.S. Central Command, will brief the committee on their budget requests for fiscal 2019.

Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — Russell 222Cyber Security The heads of each of the services’ cyberspace missions will testify before the committee on looming challenges and the fiscal 2019 budget request.

Senate Foreign Relations — 2:30 p.m. — Dirksen 419State growth Former British Prime Minister David Cameron, who currently chairs the Commission on State Fragility, Growth and Development, will testify before the committee on policy priorities for developing nations.

Wednesday, March 14

House Appropriations — 10 a.m. — Capitol H140Air Force Budget Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein will testify before the committee on the fiscal 2019 budget request.

House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs — 10 a.m. — Dirksen G50Veterans groups’ priorities The two committees will hear legislative priorities from 10 veterans groups, including the Air Force Sergeants Association, Fleet Reserve Association, Military Officers Association of America and Military Order of the Purple Heart.

House Armed Services — 10 a.m. — Rayburn 2118 Space warfighting Outside experts will testify before the committee on current military policies on space warfighting and security. House Transportation — 11 a.m. — Rayburn 2167 Coast Guard budget Service officials will testify before the committee on the fiscal 2019 budget request.

House Armed Services — 2 p.m. — Rayburn 2212 Air Force Budget William Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, and other service officials will testify before the committee on projection forces and the fiscal 2019 budget request.

Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — Russell 232A Atomic energy defense activities Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, under secretary for nuclear security at the Department Of Energy, and other officials will testify before the committee on the fiscal 2019 budget request.

House Armed Services — 3:30 p.m. — Rayburn 2118 Science and technology programs Steve Walker, director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and research officials from the services will testify before the committee on the fiscal 2019 budget request.

Thursday, March 15

Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — Dirksen G-50 Pacific Command Adm. Harry Harris Jr., head of U.S. Pacific Command, will testify before the committee on current threats in the region and the fiscal 2019 budget request.

House Foreign Affairs — 9:30 a.m. — Rayburn 2172 Pending legislation The committee will consider four bills, including one to limit assistance to areas controlled by the government of Syria.

House Armed Services — 10 a.m. — Rayburn 2118 Russia Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, head of U.S. European Command, will testify before the committee on security challenges in Europe and the threats posed by Russia.

House Armed Services — 3:30 p.m. — Rayburn 2118 Space programs Gen. John Raymond, head of Air Force Space Command, and other defense officials will testify before the committee on the fiscal 2019 budget request for national security space programs.